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Installation & Setup

ForgeCode is a CLI-based coding harness — think Claude Code, but with first-class support for many AI providers. It works equally well with cloud models, open-weight models, and models running locally.

Prerequisites​

Installation​

Step 1. Install the ForgeCode binary​

curl -fsSL https://forgecode.dev/cli | sh

This works on macOS, Linux, Android, and Windows via WSL or Git Bash.

Verify the installation:

forge --help

Step 2. Configure the Zsh plugin​

ForgeCode integrates with Zsh to let you send prompts directly from your shell prompt. Run the setup wizard:

forge zsh setup

Follow the interactive prompts. Once complete, you must restart your terminal for the plugin to take effect. Open a new terminal window, or reload the current session:

exec zsh
important

The Zsh plugin will not be active until you restart your terminal. If the : prompt trigger isn't working, this is the most common cause.

If you're still having trouble, run the diagnostics command:

forge zsh doctor

This checks your environment and reports any configuration issues with the Zsh plugin.

Step 3. Log in to an AI provider​

ForgeCode needs access to at least one AI model. Run:

:login

This walks you through selecting a provider and entering your API key.

If you already have a ChatGPT Plus or Claude subscription, select the corresponding provider (OpenAI or Anthropic) and use that subscription's API access instead of buying a separate key.

Recommended providers
  • OpenRouter — one key, 300+ models from every major vendor
  • OpenAI — GPT Codex series
  • Anthropic — Claude Sonnet and Opus series
Recommended models
  • Proprietary: Claude Sonnet & Opus series, GPT Codex series
  • Open-source: GLM, Kimi, Minimax

After logging in, pick a model:

:model

Browse the list, type to filter, and press Enter. ForgeCode remembers your choice across sessions. You can change it anytime.

Step 4. Send your first prompt​

With the Zsh plugin active and the LLM provider set up, type : followed by a space and your prompt:

: Hi! What is the time?

ForgeCode takes it from there.

Step 5. Explore available commands​

To see all available ForgeCode commands, type : and press Tab (without space):

: # then press Tab WITHOUT space

This lists every command you can run directly from your shell.

Next Steps​

Once you're set up, enable ForgeCode Services for enhanced codebase understanding, tool-call guardrails, and a semantic search engine — no API key required.